High-frequency heating apparatus for sequentially brazing a plurality of parts in a protective atmosphere



Feb. 7, 1950 J. R. MARCUS ET AL 2,495,950

HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING APPARATUS FOR SEQUENTIALLY BRAZING A PLURLITY 0F PARTSIN A PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE Filed July 31. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 7, 1950 J. R. MARCUS l-:TAL 2,496,950

HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING APPARATUS FOR SEQUENTIALLY BRAZING A PLURALITY OF PARTS 1N A PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE Filed July 31, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 7, 1350 MARCUS J. R. IGH-FREQUENCY HEATING APPARATU ET AL S FOR SEQUENTIALLY BRAZING A PLURALITY 0F PARTS IN A PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE Filed July 51.. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 56 wm/ms 4 J RMA/Paas se 0. WARN/N6 gy MM /03) 220 V. A C.

Feb. 7, 1950 .1. R. MARCUS E-rAx. 2,496,950

HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING APPARATUS FOR SEQUENTIALLY BRAZING A PLURLITY 0F PARTS IN A PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE Filed July 31, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 'ff/Z444@ Patented Feb. 7, 1950 HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING APPARATUS FOR SEQUENTIALLY BRAZING A PLU- RALITY OF PARTS IN A PROTECTIVE A'I'MosrmsmsY Jerome R. Marcus, Chicago, and Orville F. Warning, Melrose Park, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 31, 1946, Serial No. 687,434

.6 Claims. (Ci. 219-47) This invention relates to a high frequency heating apparatus and more particularly to a high frequency induction brazing apparatus for brazing successive ones of a group of articles in a protective atmosphere.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified and improved high frequency heating apparatus having a series of successively operable coils.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided, in a chamber containing a protective atmosphere, a plurality of heating coils connected in series to a high frequency alternating current generator and clamping members for holding the parts to be brazed in position within the coils. The coils are provided with commutator bars which'are slidably engaged by brushes for shorting out all of the coils except a selected one to effectively electrically connect only the selected coil to the high frequency generator. The brushes are insulated from and carried by a reciprocable rack bar. which is connected to a manually actuatable control handle on the outside of the chamber so that by turning the handle through predetermined arcs, the various heating coils may be effectively and successively connected individually into the high frequency circuit. A switch, connected in the electric power line to the high frequency generator, is opened to stop the operation of the high frequency current generator when the control handle is actuated to move the shorting brushes to another position to effectively connect a different coil into the high frequency circuit.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawy ings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the brazing apparatus with parts broken away and showing the parts to be brazed in position therein and the movable hood in its raised position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus ytaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows and showing the movable hood in its lowered position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line I-l of Fig. 1 with the hood in the lowered position therein and showing the three heating coils connected in series;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the heating coils connected to a high frequency generator and showing the shorting brushes for shorting out two of the coils and the control means for shifting the shorting bars and foropening the electric power supply circuit to the high frequency generator when the shorting brushes are being shifted;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken on the line 54-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

In high frequency induction brazing apparatus, where a protective atmosphere is employed to prevent oxidation of the parts being brazed, it is desirable to braze va plurality of parts with one setting of the apparatus, thereby increasing the output of the apparatus and reducing the wastage of protective gas incident to the loading and unloading of the apparatus with the articles being brazed. In many instan-ces, it is not possible nor desirable to simultaneously braze a series of parts andithe parts are brazed separately under control of the operator who watches the brazing process to prevent the part from becoming overheated.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings is used for successively brazing a plurality of stem members I0 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) having flared or conical-shaped skirts II to hollow cylindrical members I2v having tapered or conical-shaped ends I3. The parts Ill and I2 are axially aligned in high frequency heating coils I5 with the conical portions II and i3 centrally located therein, as shown in Fig. 6. A ring of solder or brazing metal I6 is positioned on the upper edge of each of the skirts II and during the brazing opera-tion the solder or brazing metal ring I6 fuses to braze the conical portions II and I3 of the parts together.

The lower parts I0 are placed in V-shaped grooves I8 in a stationary -bar I9 and are held therein by plungers 20 reciprocable within recesses 2i in a bar 22. The plungers 20 are urged forwardly by springs 23 and are provided with knobs 24 by means of which the plungers may be retracted. Bars I9 and 22 are secured to a supporting plate 21 fixed to a pair of uprights 28--28 of a frame 28 secured to a base plate 30. The upper parts I2 to be welded are maintained in proper position with respect to the lower parts III by axially aligned positioning members 3l having cone-shaped lower ends I4 for engaging the ends oi' and centering the parts I2. The positioning members 3J are slidably mounted in a supporting member 38 secured to the upper end of the uprights 28-28 and are provided with handles 31 attached to the upper end thereof and extending downwardly therefrom in a position accessible to the operator. The weight of the positioning member 33 is such as to maintain the proper pressure between the parts l2 and I8 during the brazing operation.

The coils I (Figs. 3 and 6) are secured to and supported by metal blocks or commutator bars 4|), 4|, 42 and 43, which are separated from each other and are secured to a vertically disposed plate 45 of insulating material mounted on the rear face of the supporting plate 21. The heating coils |5 are hollow to permit the circulation of a coolant therethrough and the ends thereof are secured to enlarged fluid and electric current conducting tubes 50, 5|, 52 and 53, as shown in Fig. 3. The end conductor tubes 5U and 53 are secured to the end blocks In and 43, respectively, and the U-shaped conductor tubes 5| and 52 are secured to the conductor blocks 4| and 42, respectively.

The coils I5, which are connected in series with each other, are connected through the conduits 5B and 53 to an electronic oscillator 55 (Fig. 4), which is adapted to generate and supply a high frequency alternating current thereto. The high frequency generator 55 is connected to a source of power through the leads 56-51 and the operation of the high frequency generator is initiated by the actuation of a start switch 58 in the power line 51. The period of operation of the high frequency generator may be limited by a timing control within the oscillator unit 55 or the operation may be terminated sooner by the manual actuation of a stop switch 58 or a second stop switch 5|! connected in series in the line 51. It will thus be seen that the coils |5 are connected in series with the oscillator 55 which supplies high frequency alternating current thereto for heating the articles positioned within the coils.

Switching means are provided for eilectively connecting only one of the coils i5 at one time to the high frequency generator 55 and comprises a pair of brushes or electrically conducting shorting blocks E55 and S5 slida'oly engaging the blocks L35, Lil, d2 and 43 to selectively short out any two of the heating coils i5 from the high frequency circuit. The brushes 55 and 66 are each slidably mounted on a pair of pins 51-61 rigidly secured in insulating blocks 68 mounted in recesses S9 of a reciprocable rack bar 10. The brushes 55 and 66 are urged against the commutator blocks which are connected close to the coils i5 to obtain a minimum length of high frequency current path by coil springs 12-12 interposed between the bars 55 and 56 and the insulating blocks 53. By moving the rack bar to various predetermined positions the brushes 55 andi are caused to move therewith and engage various ones of the commutator bars 40 to I3 and short out two of the heating coils i5 to effectively connect the remaining coil to 'the high frequency` generator 55. y

The rack bar 10 is mounted for reciprocation in a guide member 15 (Figs. 2 and 5) mounted on the bar I9 and the supporting plate 21 and formed at its ends with laterally projecting guideways 16 and 11 for receiving the reduced ends 18 and 18, respectively, of the rack bar 1l. A retaining plate 8D, secured to the guide bar 15, serves to maintain the rack bar in position. Meshing with the teeth of the rack bar is a gear 82 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) fixed to a shaft 83 mounted for rotation in a bore 84 of the supporting plate 21 andretained ontheplateby acollar 85. The

supportingplate IIisreoessedattopmvkie clearance for the gear 52. The shaft I3 h eillated to eii'ect reciprocatory movement of the brushes 85 and 5l by actuation of a control handle 88 (Figs. l and 2) xed to the outer end of a control shaft 89 mounted below and in spaced relation to the shaft Il and connected thereto through a link 5l pivoted at its ends to a pair of levers 8| and $2 secured to the shafts 83 and Il, respectively. The shaft Il is rotatably mounted in a bearing 35 iixed in the front wall 55 of a stationary housing 31 mounted on the base plate 3l. It will be apparent that by turning the oontrol handle I8 through predetermined arcs, the gear l2 will be caused to oscillate to move the rack bar 18 and the brushes 55 and 5I to predetermined positions to control the shorting out of two of the heating coils l5 and effect the connecting oi.' the remaining coil I5 to the high i'requency generator 55.

Means are provided for opening the switch 5I in the power line 5l during the movement of the brushes 65 and 65 to insure that the coils I5 are not energized during the switching of the coils into and out of the high frequency circuit should the operator neglect to actuate the stop switch 53 or ifthe electronic oscillator 55 is not cut out by the automatic timing mechanism contained therein. The normally open switch il, which may be of the micro-switch type, is maintained in a closed position by the engagement therewith of a lever I U0 pivoted at IBI on the wall 96 and urged in a counter-clockwise direction by a spring |52. A roller |03, carried by the lever lll intermediate its ends, engages in one of the notches lll of a cam disc |05 secured to the shaft 55. When the handle 88 is turned to short out one heating coil |5 from the high frequency circuit and connect another into the circuit, the rotation of the cam disc |05 will move the lever III in a clockwise direction and permit the opening of the switch 6|) to stop the operation of the oscillator 55 and thereby deenergize the coils l5. The action of the roller |03 being forced into the notches |05 under spring pressure serv to indicate when the brushes 65 and 66 are properly positioned and also to maintain the brushes in their set positions.

Since it is desirable to perform the brazing of the parts in a protective atmosphere; such as hydrogen, a movable bell or hood |88 is provided which, in cooperation with the stationary housing 91, forms a chamber for receiving the hydrogen gas which is admitted into the chamber through a pipe i il in the top of the movable hood |88. The hood |08 is adapted to be raised and lowered by a connecting rod ||2 secured to the top thereof and is guided for vertical movement by laterally extending apertured guide lugs ||3 secured thereto and engaging vertical guide rods ||I mounted on the base 3l. A window ||5 is .provided in the front wall of the bell III through which the operator may observe the articles being welded.

In the operation of the welding apparatus the hood lllisraisedtothepoaitionshowninfull lines in Fig. l, in which position the welding apparatus is accessible to the operator. The parts I8 and I2 to be brazed, together with the solder or brazing metal rings I5, are placed in position within the individual heating coils l5, the parts Il being securely clamped between the members I3 and 25 and the upper parts I2 being held in position by the lowering oi' the holding members 38 into ent with the upper ends thereof.

amano with the three sets of parts I and I2 properly positioned within the coils I5, the hood |08 may be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the hydrogen gas allowed to flow into the chamber and displace the air therefrom. With two of the heating coils I shorted out of the circuit and the third coil I5 connected in the circuit to the high frequency generating unit. the operator, by pressing the start button 58. may cause the high frequency current to flow through the heating coil I5 then in the circuit. By observing the parts Il and I2 being heated, the operator. when he has determined that the parts have been heated to the proper degree, may actuate the stop button 59 to stop the flow of current to the heating coil I5. By turning the operating handle 88 the operator may eilectively disconnect the first heating coil I5 from the high frequency circuit and connect a second heating coil therein, after which he may push the start button 58 to initiate another brazing cycle to braze the second set of the parts I0 and I2 in the apparatus. The third set of parts I0 and I2 is similarly brazed. On completion of the brazing of the three sets of parts, the hood IBB may be raised and the brazed parts removed from the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. A high frequency heating apparatus for brazing successive ones of a series of articles in a protective atmosphere comprising a chamber for containing said protective atmosphere. a plurality of heating coils in said chamber connected in series to a source of high frequency current. holders for holding said articles in position in said heating coils, commutator members connected to said coils. brushes for engaging said commutator members to short circuit some of said coils. and control means extending outside of said chamber for effecting a relative movement between said commutator members and said brushes for selectively and successively short-circuiting some of the coils to sequentially energize the coils.

2. In a high frequency heating apparatus for brazing successive ones of a series of articles. a plurality of heating coils connected in series to a source of high frequency current. holders for holding said articles in position in said heating coils, commutator members connected to said coils. brushes engageable with said commutator members for short circuiting some of said coils, and control means for effecting a relative movement between said commutator members and said brushes for selectively and successively short circuiting some of the coils to sequentially energize the coils.

3. A high frequency heating apparatus for brazing successive ones of a series of parts in a protective atmosphere comprising a chamber for said protective atmosphere, a, plurality of heating coils in said chamber connected in series to a source of high frequency current, holders for holding said parts in position to said coils, commutator members connected to said coils, brushes for engaging various ones of said commutator members to short out ali of said heating coils except one. and control means extending outside of said chamber for selectively actuating said brushes to effectively connect any one of said coils to said source of high frequency current and short out the other coils. n

4. A high frequency heating apparatus for brazlng successive ones of a series of parts in a protective atmosphere comprising a chamber for said protective atmosphere, a plurality of heating coils in said chamber connected in series, holders for holding said parts in position in said coils, a pair of commutator members connected to each of said coils, brushes engaging said commutator members for shorting out all of said heating coils except one, a high frequency alternating current.r

generator connected in series with said coils, a switch connecting said high frequency generator to a power supply. and control means extendingr outside of said chamber for moving said brushes to short out all of the heating coils except a selected one and for simultaneously actuating thc switch to arrest the operation of said high frequency generator during the movement of said brushes.

5. A high frequency heating apparatus for brazing succesive ones of a series of parts in a protecting atmosphere comprising a, chamber for said protective atmosphere, a plurality of heating coils connected in series in said chamber, holders for holding said parts in position in said coils, commutator members in said chamber connected to the leads of each of said coils, brushes in said chamber engageable with said commutator members for selectively and successively short circuiting some of said heating coils, a high frequency alternating current generator connected in series with said coils, a switch connecting said high frequency generator to a power supply. and a control means extending outside of said chamber for moving said brushes for selectively and successively short circuiting some of the coils to sequentially energize said heating coils for simultaneously actuating the switch to arrest the operation of said high frequency generator during the movement of said brushes. y

6. In a high frequency heating apparatus for brazing successive ones of a series of articles in a protective atmosphere. a chamber for containing said protective atmosphere. a plurality of heating coils in said chamber connected in series to a source of high frequency current, holders for holding said articles in position in said heating coils, commutator members in said chamber connected in close proximity to said heating coils. brushes in the chamber for engaging said commutator members for short circuiting some oi said coils, and control means extending outside of said chamber for effecting a relative movement between said commutator members and said brushes for selectively and successively short circuiting some of the coils to sequentially energize the coils.

JEROME R. MARCUS. GRVl'LLE F. WARNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,190,308 Levy July 11, 1916 1,696,684 Knopp Dec. 25, 1928 1,878,458 Blanchet Sept. 20, 1932 1,946,876 Northrup Feb. 13, 1934 2,009,380 Berger July 30, 1935 2,184,282 Capita Dec. 26, 1939 2,228,600 Hardy Jan. 14, 1941 2,302,119 Hagedorn Nov. 1'7, 1942 2,321,189 Dravneek June 8, 1943 

